Kansas Municipal News
Anyone can be an artist during Chalk the Välk in Lindsborg this April
Little Sweden is letting people make temporary art for all to see during the Chalk the Välk event on April 12. Lindsborg is opening up along four and a half miles of the Välkommen Trail with 10×10 foot squares available for people or groups of all ages to chalk up.
Source: Salina Journal
Why Topeka is rebuffing effort to limit regulation of home-based businesses
Topeka City Councilman Spencer Duncan, who is a lobbyist for Kansas League of Municipalities, said the bill has its heart in the right place, but that it could prohibit cities from licensing home-based daycares, require fire codes for automotive repairs or regulate AirBnBs and other short-term residential rentals.
Source: CJonline
Topeka eyes more multifamily properties across city
Topeka is asking residents to weigh in on its newest idea to bring in more affordable housing. A survey on whether multifamily dwellings should be building in single-family home zones will remain open until Friday.
Source: CJonline
Municipal Bond Trends for February 25, 2025
The interest rate table above illustrates recent changes in a sample of AA rated bond trades reported to the Municipal Securities Rulemaking Board’s EMMA® system. Every issuer’s credit is different, and other financing sources may be available. To obtain comprehensive Financial Advisory services for your local government, contact your Ranson Financial Municipal Advisor, Larry Kleeman, or Henry Schmidt.
Municipal Bond Trends for February 24, 2025
The interest rate table above illustrates recent changes in a sample of AA rated bond trades reported to the Municipal Securities Rulemaking Board’s EMMA® system. Every issuer’s credit is different, and other financing sources may be available. To obtain comprehensive Financial Advisory services for your local government, contact your Ranson Financial Municipal Advisor, Larry Kleeman, or Henry Schmidt.
Municipal Bond Trends for February 21, 2025
The interest rate table above illustrates recent changes in a sample of AA rated bond trades reported to the Municipal Securities Rulemaking Board’s EMMA® system. Every issuer’s credit is different, and other financing sources may be available. To obtain comprehensive Financial Advisory services for your local government, contact your Ranson Financial Municipal Advisor, Larry Kleeman, or Henry Schmidt.
Fed officials are worried about tariffs’ impact on inflation and see rate cuts on hold, minutes show
Federal Reserve officials in January agreed they would need to see inflation come down more before lowering interest rates further, and expressed concern about the impact President Donald Trump’s tariffs would have in making that happen, according to meeting minutes released Wednesday. Policymakers on the Federal Open Market Committee unanimously decided at the meeting to hold their key policy rate steady after three consecutive cuts totaling a full percentage point in 2024. In reaching the decision, members commented on the potential impacts from the new administration, including chatter about the tariffs as well as the impact from reduced regulations and taxes. The committee noted that current policy is “significantly less restrictive” than it had been before the rate cuts, giving members time to evaluate conditions before making any additional moves.
Source: CNBC – Bonds
El Dorado plans to remove Pit Bull registrant requirements
In a City Commission Work Session on Wednesday, February 12, the City Commission discussed updating the Title 6 of the Municipal Code that spells out animal ordinances, which included abolishing the Pit Bull registrant requirement. The Pit Bull registrant requirements have been a long-time controversary for Butler County and surrounding areas. The City of Augusta passed an ordinance to remove the ban on Pit Bulls in August 2023. The ban of and city registrant requirements of Pit Bulls, Staffordshire Terriers or other similar mix breeds became popular for cities in the 1980’s when information had spread through the media of dangerous dog fights. To combat the possibility of these inhumane fights happening in cities, the ban and registrants of those dogs came to light.
Source: Andover American
Old coin sparks discussion, reveals local history
Amy Beck frequently stumbles across tidbits of history at estate sales, and one of her recent finds drew quite a bit of attention on social media. She shared pictures of the front and back of an old coin, which displayed the wording “Horse and Buggy Doctor” and “Hertzler Research Foundation.” Comments on her pictures quickly poured in as others began researching the coin. The coin was originally produced as a commemorative piece to honor Dr. Arthur Hertzler on his 100th birthday, July 26, 1970. Hertzler was known as the “Horse and Buggy Doctor” and founder of the Halstead Hospital.
Source: Harvey County Now
Halstead Planning Commission nears final draft of BESS regulations
The Halstead Planning Commission worked through the zoning regulation draft for battery energy storage systems (BESS) during its regular meeting Monday evening, just a few days after Concurrent, a Texas-based company leasing land in the city’s industrial park, held a public forum to answer questions regarding their plan to open a BESS facility in town. Planning Commission Chairman Tessa Wending asked if they adequately addressed mitigating the risk from a potential explosion because it’s such a big risk.
Source: Harvey County Now
New Assistant County Manager Darron Leiker begins work at Johnson County Government
Today, Darron Leiker joins the Johnson County Government leadership team as a new Assistant County Manager. That role was vacated in December 2024 with the retirement of Joe Connor. Leiker comes to Johnson County from the City of Wichita Falls, Texas, where he served nearly 23 years. He began as Assistant City Manager in 2002 and became City Manager in September 2005, serving for 19 years. In that role he oversaw approximately 15 departments and 1,240 FTEs, prepared an annual budget of more than $233 million (FY 2024) and implemented the policies and goals of a seven-member governing body.
Source: Johnson County Kansas |
Gardner voters renew half-cent sales tax paying for road projects
Gardner voters have approved renewing a half-cent sales tax for the city’s Pavement Management Program. On Tuesday, Feb. 11, nearly 68% of voters who cast mail-in ballots approved the sales tax renewal, according to unofficial results from the Johnson County Election Office. Overall, turnout for the special election was 17%, according to unofficial final tallies. The renewed sales tax takes effect Jan. 1, 2026, and will continue for another decade. Mayor Todd Winters said the passage of the sales tax renewal will allow the city to maintain and improve roads, sidewalks and trails for years to come.
Source: Johnson County Post
See the tax rebates, home improvement grants on offer in your Johnson County city
As property taxes continue to rise along with home values in Johnson County, residents may be looking for any way they can to save money. Many local cities in Johnson County, as well as the county itself, offer a variety of rebate programs aimed at helping homeowners pay their annual property tax bills, as well as make repairs and renovations. Many of these programs are aimed at certain populations, including low-income homeowners, seniors and disabled veterans. But other rebates are open to a wider segment of homeowners looking for assistance in paying for everything from replacing windows and installing solar panels to planting trees and signing up for at-home composting.
Source: Johnson County Post
Wichita approves public art plan to fill empty spots downtown
The City of Wichita has approved a plan to once again fill the empty pedestals in Old Town and elsewhere with sculptures. Starting in 2008, the city installed over a dozen pedestals, most of them in Old Town, as part of a sculpture walkabout program. That program ended in 2023. On Tuesday, the Wichita City Council voted 7-0 to approve a $200,000 plan (using funds explicitly earmarked in the budget for art projects) to fill the pedestals with permanent pieces.
Source: KSN-TV
Topeka residents meet, evaluate the city
Topeka residents met Wednesday, Feb 19, to serve on a special city committee that hasn’t been seen in a decade. The Topeka Citizen Government Review Committee is made up of five people all selected by the mayor. The last time this group was put together was 2014. For the next six months, the committee, along with public comment, will examine and evaluate Topeka’s form of government and determine if they have recommendations for change.
Source: KSNT 27 News
Symphony in the Flint Hills will end after 20 years
The Symphony in the Flint Hills announced Wednesday, Feb. 19 that 2025 will be the last year for shows. These annual shows were a way for people to appreciate and learn more about the Flint Hills tallgrass prairie After 20 unforgettable years, the Symphony in the Flint Hills Signature Event will have its Grand Finale on Saturday, June 14, at Evans Family Ranch in Chase County. Join us for one last breathtaking evening of music, prairie skies, and community as we celebrate this milestone event. Along with the Signature Event concert, the Symphony in the Flint Hills hosted a prairie art exhibit and auction. Tickets for the Grand Finale will go on sale at 10 a.m. Saturday, March 1.
Source: KSNT 27 News
Most homeowners in Sedgwick County will see increase in tax appraisal. Here are details
Tax valuations will increase for 87% of homeowners in Sedgwick County this year. The average median increase for residential properties is 9%. Notices will be mailed out March 1. Last year, 60% of residential property owners saw an increase in valuation, with a 10% median increase. Tax appraisal increases are driven by the sales prices of new and existing homes. “Demand is high and the supply of homes is tight, thus prices increase as a result of this continuing imbalance,” county appraiser Mark Clark told county commissioners.
Source: Local News | Wichita Eagle
Are Wichita-area schools running out of snow days? See what Kansas law says
Wichita school districts students have so far had this week off amid snow and bitter cold. School officials canceled classes Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. There was no school Monday because it was President’s Day. So far this year, including Thursday, Wichita students have been off school eight days because of severe weather. Half of those were in January, with the rest in February. So will they — and students from surrounding districts in similar situations — have to make up days?
Source: Local News | Wichita Eagle
It’s illegal to own a pet raccoon in Kansas. One man is trying to change that
Kansas lawmakers are considering a proposal that would allow Kansans who obtain raccoon ownership permits to keep the animals as pets. For the past four years, Lenexa resident Stephen Kaspar has been feeding and training wild raccoons that wander onto his property. But it’s against Kansas law to own a pet raccoon. That’s why Kaspar is urging state lawmakers to pass a bill that would legalize pet ownership of raccoons. Owners would be required to obtain a raccoon ownership permit, complete educational training and vaccinate their raccoons for rabies and other diseases. They’d have to provide raccoons with their own room or enclosure, a measure Kaspar said is designed to ensure people provide proper care and enrichment to the animals.
Source: The Lawrence Times
Kansas needs qualified computer science teachers. This K-State program delivers — for free
When Josh Weese completed high school nearly 20 years ago, his exposure to computer science had been a short unit on robotics in shop class and some basic HTML coding and word processing in business class. Today, he’s working to bring more robust computer science education to districts large and small all across the state through Kansas State University’s Cyber Pipeline. Weese, a teaching associate professor of computer science in the Carl R. Ice College of Engineering and a Kevin and Jacquie Elmore – Carl and Mary Ice Cornerstone teaching scholar, co-directs the Advancing Learning and Teaching in Computer Science, or ALT+CS, laboratory with Nathan Bean, teaching associate professor of computer science, and Russell Feldhausen, instructor of computer science.
Source: The Sunflower State Radio Network